Grinding machinery



April 3, 1928. 1,665,084

.1.5. cAs-rER GRINDING MACHINE Filed July 27. 192'? l 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 @n *Hf VV" April 3, 1928. Lis-65,084

J. E. CASTER GRINDING MACHINE Filed July 2T. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 2f/@1 J5 j@ April 3, 192s. v1,665,084

J. E.. CASTER GRINDING MACHINE Filed July 27. 192.7 s 'Sheets-sheet 3 i Patented Apr. 3, 12928.

UNITED sT-TEs i 1,665,084 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. CASTER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOB CINCINNATI GBINDERB INCOR- 1JRA'LIEJI), OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

GRINDING MACHINERY;

Application :filed July 27,

This invention relates to improvements in grinding machinery and has particular reference to a machine adapted for the grinding of balls or similar contouredarticles.

One of the purposes of the present invention is the provision of y,5L-"mechanism applicable to commercial centerless grinders which will make it possible to rapidly and accurately produce balls such as employedv lo in ball bearings upon said machine.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved control mechanism for governing 'the position and.

advance of a plurality of Work pieces into l5 -and through the grinding throat.

Another object'o'f the invention is the provision yof a machine for the production of spherical articles in accordance with the centerless principle of grinding which shall zo automatically control the supplying of the articles to be ground and the progress of the articles during grinding and which will ent invention should be readily apparent by' reterenceto the following specification taken i'n conjunction with the accompanying drawings orming a part thereof, and it will be understood that I may make" any modifications in the speciiic structural details hereinafter disclosed within the scope of the ap.

pended claims Withoutdeparting `from or exceeding the spirit of the invention. l Figure 1 is a front elevation of amachine embodying the present improvements.

Figure 2isa vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. 'f

Figure 3 is a' detail sectional view on 3-3 of said figure. y

F igure 4 is a section as on line'4-4 of line Figure 1 showing the work piece engagingl and advancing structures.

Figure 5 is a vertical section on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a horizontal or transverse section as on line 6-6 of Figure 5. t

Figure 7 is an enlarged detailed View of the 1927. Serial No. 208,869.

Work piece carrier advancing mechanism on the line 7--7 of Fig. 4.

Figure 8 is afragmentary View illustrating the feed control.

Figure 9 is a vertical section on line 9--9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a view of a modified form of ma azine controlling device, and

igure 11 is a section on line 11-11 0f Fi ure 10. v

igure 12 is a fragmentary section illustrating. the cam operated mfeed control mechanism.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary view of the work rest and regulating wheel indicating the relationship of said parts.

As distinguished from ball grinding machines of the prior art in which a. Series of balls have been placed in an unf controlled manner as in a continuous u Groove for example between grinding members, the present invention contemplates the grinding of individual balls inA ndi vidual distinct rooves While retaining the ball against a vancing movement in its groove. The invention furtherv contemplates 1n place of utilizing ra single continuous groove in which the work piece rolls, a plurality of grooves to which the work pieces are successively transferred, so that .one groove may perform the initial roughing out cut and subsequent grooves will Work the ball down to itsproper final size.

One embodiment of a machine for accomplishing these results is illustrated in the drawings inwhich the numeral 15 designates the bed of a conventional centerless grinding machine bearing the grinding wheel 16 and the slide 17 for the regulating Wheel control unit 18 which supports the regulat-, ing Wheel 19 for in and out movement. This in and out movement maybe manually effected`v by rotation of adjusting screw 2O or automatically accomplished throu hsuitable mechanism contained in the shiv ter box J 21 drivenfrom motor 22.

One form of this mechanism for imparting an automaticin and outA movementto `the regulating wheel is illustrated invcopendp ing application 102,762.

This mechanism includes a rotatable cam 23 operating a toggle 24 which imparts an in and out or reciprocating `movement to the regulating Wheel slide 17. This member is further formed with a face lug or 110 cam portion 25 actuatin plunger 26 which is provided with a rac i pinion 28 on rock shaft 29. This shaft is journalled in arm 30 carried by the intermediate slide 31. The shaft bears an arm 36,having a plurality of apertures 35 selectively engageable by the pivot pin 37 for coupling thereto, one end of link 32. The opposite end of this link is selectivelyV engageable with a ertures 38 of rock arm 33 carried by. the eed mechanism housing 34. It will be understood that on account of the cam 23 controlling both the automatic in and out movement of the regulating wheel and also the oscillation of rock shaft 29 that these operations take place invtimed Iso ' downward with respect to the work piece.

' ing rest relation one yto the other, the timing bein such thaty link 32 is raised for actuation off the Vfeed mechanism when the regulating wheel has been separated the maximum amount as respects the grinding wheel.

The general construction of the ball feeding mechanism and the relationship 'of the balls to the two wheels previously referred to will be best understood'by`4 reference to Figures 4 and 6. From these it will be noted that the inding wheel 16 is formed with a multipliclty of relatively shallow grooves 39 which are shown as double in number to the number of work pieces 40 to be operated upon. Similarly, theV regulating wheel 19 has a corresponding number of grooves 41 disposed at their point of contact with the work in opposition to the grooves of the grinding wheel. Attention however, is invited to the fact that the regulating wheel is preferably disposed at an angle to the .plane of the grinding wheel so that it will exert aslight -diagonal thrust or twisting action on the work pieces tending to present all portions thereof equally to the 'action of. the grinding wheel. It is to be understood that .in this form of machine as is customary in the operation. of centerless grinding the grinding wheel is rotated in al clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1 and at a proper grinding speed as for example live thousand feet peripheral speed per minute. The regulating wheel also operates in a clockwise direction with the result that` its work engaging surface is moved 'upward while the grinding wheel surface moves Disposed intermediate the wheels on the slide 31 1s the work s'fiporting bracket 42 havadjustably mounted thereon the work p blade 43 vertically adjustable as by the screw actuated wedge :member 44 cooperating with the pins 45 on the blade. The

blade is formed with an angled upper sur-A fface 46 causing the worky to be urged by .gravity in the direction of the regulating wheel.

Additionally, carried by the bracket 42 is the feed mechanism housing 34 inwhi'ch' 27 meshing with rotate the sprockets 48 of endless chain 49.

This chain carries a multiplicity of work "feeding blades or combs 50 each provided in the structure shown lwith three notches.

51 providing the blocks or teeth 52 intended to project intermediate the work pieces 40 as clearly illustrated in Figures 4 and@ 6. The blades ride between theguide ribs 53 54 which steady the blades in their passag around the housing. i

By reference to Figure 4 it will be noted that the blades are so secured to the endless chain as to satisfactorily move around in the proper path at the ends, but form a substantially continuous solid member while 'progressing into, through and beyond thel grinding throat. To progress the several blades in an intermittent or step by step manner through the grinding throat, they.-

end of rocka arm `61 secured to shaft 63 which bears the rockarm 33. Consequently,

block has a recess at 60 to receive the upper as rock shaft 29 is actuated the motion 1s transmitted by link 32 to arm 33 and thence through shaft 63 to arm 61, causing a back and forth movement of slide block 57 and its.

associated pawl. In its retracting movement the pawl slides idly over the composite rack, the blades being held against reverse movement as by llocking pawl 64 While-on return or inward movement the slide block pawl will carry the rack with it advancing the blades but a desired or predetermined amount. This advance may be graduated as a step by step proposition moving the balls from -one groove 39 to the next groove in case it is `desired to perform a slight amount of grinding on each ball in each. groove. On the other hand, a'longer stroke or movement may be imparted in which the individual balls engage only every third groove, skipping two in their advance.

' In the event that the balls are to -vbe en-- gaged in. each groove or in. every other lgroove a continuous gravity feed mechanism may be employed for supplying work pieces such asshown in Figures 10 and 11 for example. This comprises primarily a feed tube 65 having its lower end terminating in the discharge aperture 66 and having inA addition a lateral notch 67 normally closed by the.' spring pressed finger 68 having a bevelled or inclined surface 69. The individual balls roll forwardly through aperture 66 and will rest against the adjacent tooth 52 until it progresses in its inward move- Leonesa ment sufficiently to align one of the notches l with the ball. .lf the'rough blank be of proper' size for introduction within the machine it will then drop through the notch into the guide groove 70 and be progressed along this groove to operative position on top of the work rest blade 43. .ln the event. however, that anunduly large work piece passes through tube G5 its size will prevent its dropping entirely into notch 5l with the result that it will, become slightly wedged and laterally shifted but be disposed out of operative position. The action in this instance is indicated in Figure 1l, in that the ball will ride against the bevelled face 69 of finger 68 pressing the finger rearwardly so that the ball may slip past. The ball will then be aligned with discharge passage 7l and in being retained by groove 70 will roll outward. This action is extenuated by the engagement with the work piece of ejector point 7 2 which serves to pick ofi' the oversize piece from engagement with the feed blade.

ln the event that it is desired to advance the balls more than one groove at a time an intermittent feed mechanism such as shown in Figures 8 and 9 may be employed. There are here shown three guide ribs 73 extending downward into the feed block 7d in combination with a detent 75 preventing discharge ot the balls, the detent being retained in locked position as by spring pressed plunger 76. To release the detent and allow balls to feed into the notches 51, use isA made of the mechanism particularly illustrated in Figure 8. The rock arm 33 ment with the plunger.- Consequently re\ bears at one end the rotatable notched disk having a plurality-bf notches 76 and being additionally provided with the ratchet 7 7. In the upward movement of the inner end of arm 33 corresponding to the retracting Inovement`ot` slide 57, ratchet 77 will be brought into engagement with the adjustable awl -78 carried by the guide portion 56 o the housing. This engagement will impart a partial rotation tothe ratchet and its associated notched disk. Ordinarily the rotation is such that on rocking of the arm the disk: will be turned to bring a notch 76 into alignment with plunger 7 9 as 'shown in I Figure 8. Consequently,'reverse rocking of the arm will bring the dislrdown toward the plunger but on account of the interfitting relation of notch and plunger the plunger will not be disturbed thereby. On the next rockin movement a further rotation ot the disk wi l bring one of the teeth 80 into align,

verse rocking of the arm will cause tooth. 30 to engage and depress plunger 7 9, thus raising detent 7 5 and allowing-a ball from each of the feed tubes 7 3 to pass into a corresponding aligned notch ot' the immediately adyacent blade member.

tracted from the grinding wheel to provide a. space sufficient for transverse movement of the work pieces. While the parts are in this retractedposition the cam lug 25 actuates rock arm 29 and through several connections serve to shift slide block 57 and pawl 58 outwardly until roller 81 moves ofi the lug. At this instant spring 82 expands `.and reversely shifts slide block 57 and pawl 58 imparting a forward feeding movement to the work guiding blades. This movement serves to align the work pieces in notches 5l with the grooves in the grinding and regulating wheels, after which the earn 23 shifts the regulating wheel unit inwardly contracting the throat between grinding and regulating wheels and pressing the work piece into engagement with the grinding wheel. rIbis movement is continued until the predetermined amount of grinding has been completed. The continuous movement of the cam then again retracts the regulating wheel slide and opens up the grinding throat. The cycle of operations is then repeated, new work pieces being ted from the supply tube 65 or 73 into position within the grinding throat and advanced to new grooves.

The advantage of this type of action is that the grinding wheel being contoured rcproduces on the work the desired shape, while the substantially contoured surface of the regulating wheel insures a proper grip ping action of this wheel against the worlr to control its, rotation, to prevent spinning and to present all portions of the work surface equally to the grinding wheel. Stepping the balls along from one groove to the other, the rough grinding action is performed in the irst or second groove and the subsequent grooves each remove less and less inaterial, so that by the time the work piece has progressed through the machine the nal grooves have very little grinding to do and therefore insure accurate production of work pieces to prescribed size and with proper finish.

l claim l. A machine of the character described, including opposed grinding and regulating wheels and an intermediate' work rest, said wheels having contoured workengag'ing portions disposed in opposition one to the other, advanceable means for shifting the work along the throat between Jsaid wheels, and means for intermittently imparting an advancing movement thereto.'

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2. A machine of the character described, including opposed grinding and regulating wheels and an intermediate work rest, said Wheels having contoured work engaging poi'-A tions disposed in opposition one to the other,

advanceable means forl shifting the work along the throat between said wheels, means for intermittently1 imparting an advancing movement thereto, and means for automatically increasing the width of the grinding throat prior to actuation of the work ad-` I toured work pieces, the combination with opposed grinding and regulating wheels forming a work ieceiviiig throat, of a. work disposed within said supporting member I advancing work throat, and means for through the throat along said work support,

said means including a work engaging de vice, means for imparting a step by step advancing movement to said device, and means preventing reverse movement ot' the device.

5. The combination with a centerless grinder, including opposed grinding and regulating wheels and an intermediate work rest, of a work feeding mechanism therefor, including an endless carrier having a work engaging portion disposed in the throat be tween the grinding and regulating wheels in opposition to the work rest, and means for in'ipartii'ig an advancing movement. to said carrier.

6. The combination with a centerless grinder, including opposed grinding and regulating wheels and an intermediate work rest, of a work feeding mechanism therefor, including an endless carrier having a work engaging portion movable adjacent the work rest, and means for imparting an intermittent advancing movement to said carrier.

7. The. combination with a centerless grinder, including opposed grinding and regulating wheels and an intermediate work rest, of av work feeding mechanism therefor, including an endless carrier having a work engaging portion movable adjacent. the work rca, means for imparting an intermittent advancing movement to said carrier, and automatic means operable in timed relation to the, carrier for increasing the space between grinding and regulating wheels prior io movement of the carrier and for decreas ing the space subsequent to said movement.

8. The combination with a center-less grinder, including opposed grinding and regulating Wheels and an intermediate work immer rest, at least one of said wheels having a contoured surface formed thereon, of means for intermittently varying the separation of said wheels, an endless cari'icr having its path extending between the wheels, and means for intermittently progressively advancing the carrier during separation of said wheels.

9. The combination with a centerless grinder, including opposed grinding and regulating wheels and an intermediate.work rest, at least one ot' said wheels having a contoured surface formed thereon, of means for intermittently varying the separation of said wheels, an endless carrier having its path extending between the wheels, means for intermittently progressively advancing the carrier during separation of said wheels, and additional means for preventing reverse movement of the carrier.

10. A machine forgrinding non-cylindrical articles, including a grinding wheel having a plurality ol contoured grooves formed in the surface thereof complementary to the shape to be produced on a finished work piece, a regulating member opposing said grii'iding member for controlling the rotation of work in engagement therewith` means for intermittently varying the separa-y tion between the, grinding and regulating members, a work bladev movably supported between said members and having a work engaging recess, and means for progressively advancing the blade to successively align its recess with different contoureiil grooves in the grinding wheel, whereby a Work piece in tlielrecess will be successively presented to said grooves.

ll. In a machine of the character described, the combination with an opposed grinding and regulating wheel, of a work carrier adjustable between the wheels, means for imparting an intermittent advancing movement to the carrier, meansfor supply# ing work pieces to the carrier, and a control device coupled with the carrier advancing means for intermittently supplying work pieces to the carrier as respects shifting movements thereof.

12. A machine of the character described, including opposed grinding and regulating wheels and an intermediate work support, means for intermittently advancing work along the support, including a work carrier, a feed rack thereon, a feed slide carrying a rack engaging pawl, means for positively retracting the slide as respects the rack and means for resiliently returning the slide to actuate the rack. i

13. A machine of the character described, including opposed grinding and regulating wheels and an intermediate work support, means0 for intermittently advancing work along the support, including a work carrier, a feed rack thereon, a feed Slide carrying a rack engaging pawl, means for positively llt) retracting the slide as respects the rack,l

means for resiliently returning the slide to actuat'e the rack, and detcnt means engaging the rack to prevent reverse movement thereof.

14. A machine of the character described, including opposed grinding and regulating wheels, an intermediate work support, the grinding wheel having a plurality of contoured work engaging grooves, an endless carrier having a plurality of work engaging members successively presentable between the wheels to position work pieces therebetween, and a feed mechanism successively engageable with individual work engaging members for intermittently advancing said series of members to present work engaged thereby to successive grinding wheel grooves.

15. In a machine of the character described, the combination with an advanceable Work carrier, of \means for intermittently advancing the work carrier, means for controlling the supply of work to the carrier, including` a hopper mechanism, a detent regulating discharge from the hopper, a rock arm shiftable in synchronism with the carrier, a work releasing plunger, and means on the arm adapted to engage the plunger and release the detent.

16. In a machine of the character described, the combination with an advanceable work carrier, of means for intermittently advancing the work carrier, means* for controlling the supply of work to the carrier, including a hopper mechanism, a detent regulating discharge from the hopper, a rock arm shiftable in synchronism with the carrier, a Work releasing plunger, and intermittently operable means on the arm adapted to engage the lunger and release the detent.

17. A machine for production of contoured within the housing having work pieces, including a grinding wheel havi g a plurality of contoured grooves formed in the operative face thereof, aregulating wheel disposed in opposition to the grinding wheel and a work controlling mechanism comprising a housing located in a plane intermediate the wheels, an endless carrier work engaging members projectable into the space between the wheels, and control mechanism for the machine, including a cam member, connections betwecn the cam member and one of the wheels for intermittently varying the separation between the wheels, a rock-shaft, connections between the cam member and the rock shaft for intermittently rocking the shaft in timed relation to the relative shifting of the wheels, an arm coupled with the rock shaft for actuation thereby, carrier shifting means coupled with the arm for synchronous operation therewith, and additional feed control mechanism carried by the arm and operable upon rocking movement thereof.

18. A machine of the character described, including opposed grinding and regulating wheels and an intermediate work rest, the grinding wheel having a plurality of contoured grooves formed in the face thereof, and work controlling means movable above and in opposition to the work rest, said means having work receiving recesses, means for intermittently progressively shifting the work controlling means to successively align the recesses therein with grooves in the grinding wheel surface, and means for automatically varying the separation of the wheels to permit of passage of work pieces from groove to groove of the grinding wheel. In testimony whereof I allix my signature.

- JOHN E. CASTER. 

